In this lecture and demonstration, Nicolas Slonimsky covers topics such as polytonality, atonality, scales, the perils of introducing the music of Charles Ives and Edgar Varese to the Hollywood Bowl audiences in 1933, polyrhythm, and The Grandmother Chord. He then recounts comments made about composers by their contemporary writers, e.g., there are criticisms of Chopin, Wagner and Stravinsky. A review of his experiences with Performance Art follows and is not to be missed. Answers to questions on John Cage's 4'33", electronic music, John Coltrane, microtonal composition, American women composers, quarter tones, comments by Tchaikovsky on Brahms, comments on Toscanini and Leonard Bernstein follow and conclude this whirlwind tour of this gifted individual's complex and extraordinary mind.

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